Issue 8 December 2013

December Issue 8

Taste | Create | Discover

ALL I

WANT FOR

CHRISTMAS IS

COFFEE

www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 8

ED’S NOTE

“Christmas doesn’t come from a store, maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more....” ― Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Is it just me or did this year go exceptionally fast? I know what they say, that the older you get the faster time goes. Which is a bit worry-ing because time is flying for me right now. Or perhaps life just goes quickly when you’re having fun?

All I know is that it has been one heck of a year. We moved to Cape Town in a moment of madness (the good kind might I add). We ex-tended our family with quite possibly the cutest two Guinea Pigs ever (I now totally understand why people are always posting pictures of their kids online.. I want to do the same). And Flat White Concepts along with Flat White Magazine and Flat White Photography was born! So really, this year has been the start of my new life, where I finally took charge and did the things that I really wanted to do. Most of all, it was a year that I finally believed in myself enough to make it happen. A year of changes, and a year of chances.

I’d love to hear all about your year. Find me on Facebook, Twitter or pop me an email! What is your Christmas wish? and how was this year a little more special than the others?

Please feel free to contact me if you’d like to contribute articles or whether you’d like to advertise in an upcoming magazine. We’d love to get to know you and to shamelessly promote your company!

Flat White Magazine - Made with love and a strong cup of coffee.

Yours in Coffee,

ChristineWebsite: www.flatwhiteconcepts.comEmail: [email protected]

Follow us on Facebook

www.facebook.com/FlatWhiteConcepts

Follow us on Twitter

@FW_Conceptshttps://twitter.com/FW_Concepts


CONTENTS

TASTEPeter’s House

Rosetta’s RosteryFriggin Coffee

Oneiric wines and Bertus Basson foodGamon with Plum Sauce Recipe

Home Brewed Opinions: Chapter TwoEasy Eating Taste Experience

The Best Wine Gift this Christmas

CREATEDIY Christmas Stars

The Wed CamThe Delish Box

DISCOVERThe Sports Science Institute of South Afirca

Keep Calm and Do YogaWhy you should turn off the N1 and take notice of Matiesfontein.

Book Reviews

DIRECTORYCool Companies

COMPETITIONSWin Win Win!


I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round, as a good time; a kind, forgiving,

charitable time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one

consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers

to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. ~Charles Dickens


I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round, as a good time; a kind, forgiving,

charitable time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one

consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers

to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. ~Charles Dickens

TASTE


Peter’s HouseA friend of mine suggested I try Peter's House while in Cape Town, and I am so glad I did because this quaint Kloof Nek cafe was the perfect geta-way from a busy weekend. 14 Kloof Nek Road to be precise, Peter's House is best described by the people in charge:

"Think Mad Hatter meets Peter Rabbit interior with tasty meals and treats adorning the chalkboard walls. Amazing local artists have contributed their work to the overall happy and colourful atmos-phere."

Serving up a good cuppa Bean There FairTrade coffee and a vast selection of teas and smoothies, coupled with their infamous carrot cake and ice-cream sandwiches, Peter's House is a magical little hideaway. Enjoy a morning in the reading corner, or bring some friends along and be entertained by the games selection, or you can even knit for a good cause. This cafe is true to its definition of be-ing an unpretentious restaurant.

Peter’s House is open from Monday to Saturday, for lunch and dinner. The food is made from the heart, serving up light meals, salads, hearty pastas, and of course decadent desserts and cakes. The

service is just as warm as the coffee and food and Peter’s House is one of those cafes you can spend a whole morning at without feeling like you have overstayed your welcome. Named after the Beatrix Potter character, the charm of this cafe will most definitely captivate you and have you returning time and again. The cafe has free WIFI so grab your-self a coffee and a mini Oreo cheesecake, while you get some work done.

You can follow Peter's House on Facebook and Twitter for updates on specials and they love host-ing events so contact them at www.petershouse.co.za. Peter’s granny also makes a delightful and scrumptious range of speciality cakes so get your order in ASAP. The cafe hosts a quiz night every Tuesday so book your team of 4 and you’ll even get a complimentary bottle of wine for the night. What more could one want from a cafe, great coffee and food, and a relaxed and fun atmosphere. This is Pe-ter’s House and I confidently recommend you give it a try when next driving along Kloof Nek Road in Cape Town.

By Coffey and Cake*Coffey and Cake is a blog delving into the deli-cious world of coffee, cafes, sweet treats and the good things in life. LIKE the Facebook page to find your next coffee fix (www.facebook.com/coffey-andcake) or follow the blog www.coffeyandcake.blogspot.com


TASTE

Rosetta RoasteryAfter hearing all about Rosetta Roastery in Cape Town I finally got the opportunity to visit them at the Woodstock Exchange building. Rosetta Roastery is pure coffee magic, and a treat for ones senses. The coffee shop is rather small but behind the counter and through the large glass windows one can see where all the magic takes places... where the roasting happens.With its sophisticated decor, neat interior and chic black and white branding, Rosetta Roast-ery has done well to match their superior coffee reputation with their overall brand. We tried one of each of the blends they were serving that day, mine was the Blue Batak, a full bodied, medium roast, while Paul’s was the El Zapote, and had a blended fruity flavour like we had never tasted before. Rosetta roasts a number of single origin coffees at the moment, which are:

Cafe Rivense: South & Central American, Medium Light Roast

Muramba Co op: African, Medium Light Roast

Blue Batak: South East Asian, Medium Light Roast

El Zapote: El Salvadore, Light Roast

Knots Yirgacheffe: Ethiopian.

Colombia: Decaf, Medium Roast

"At Rosetta Roastery we're passionate about cof-fees that are as unique and character-filled as the people who drink them. We source single origin and estate coffees from South & Central Amer-ica, Africa and Asia, micro-roasting each one to best present its unique personality. Great coffee is best enjoyed fresh and at leisure, which is why we deliver twice weekly in Cape Town, free of charge."

Together with your sit down or take away cup of coffee one can order a treat from their selection of muffins and croissants, and their menu also includes some cold coffee options if hot drinks are not your first choice. While you wait, watch the passion and love that these baristas put into making your cup of coffee, everything from their precision in pulling the shot to their creative milk art.

There is so much more to Rosetta Roastery so go read up about home brewing options, sourcing single origin coffee, and place an order for their coffee on the website www.rosettaroastery.com. Rosetta Roastery can be found at 66 Albert Rd, Woodstock, and is open Monday – Friday. Follow them on Twitter @rosettaroastery.

By Coffey and Cake*Coffey and Cake is a blog delving into the deli-cious world of coffee, cafes, sweet treats and the good things in life. LIKE the Facebook page to find your next coffee fix (www.facebook.com/coffey-andcake) or follow the blog www.coffeyandcake.blogspot.com

Originally conceived some three years ago, in a fairly limi�ng one-horse town, founder and Friggin Coffeecreator, Tom Green, saw the poten�al to deliver essen�al caffeine fixes, to those who require and desire it the most - immediately!

Coffee: The gasoline of lifeOfficially launched earlier this year (2013), Friggin Coffee is essen�ally a website, aimed at connec�ng coffee connoisseurs. The specially designed pla�orm offers a unique and FREE loca�on service to those who love to drink coffee and those seeking to sell coffee. This bi-lateral, FREE service is adaptable to various sizes of electronic devices such as PCs, tablets or smart

professional barista, lactose free or soya milk as well as whether the establishment has disabled access, baby changing facili�es or offers live entertainment,” expounds Tom.

The complete addicts, who dri� amongst us, may also enjoy foraging the site, and searching for shops via the exact coffee machine, coffee grinder or the par�cular blend of beans they prefer.

Coffee - a hug in a mugKnowing full well that a coffee-loving community, is generally a �ght-knit caffeine cluster; Tom's master crea�on offers a social media quick share bar on the

Good morning my @$$! Where's my

Friggin Coffee ? Coffee

phones.

Says Tom, “This service is for all those who enjoy coffee, and who are always looking for the 'god' shot. Caffeine aficionados travelling outside of their comfort zones (either away on business or holiday), along with those desperate to discover new coffee haunts, will appreciate the benefits of Friggin Coffee. In fact, many are sure to be surprised to find quaint coffee shops literally on their doorsteps – they never knew previously

main pages, where anyone and everyone can recom-mend to Friggin Coffeetheir friends. Users are also able to “Like” individual coffee outlets from within the shop details page which s h a r e s s p e c i fi c d e t a i l s regarding that shop with the par�cular user's friends, via their Facebook account.”

I am a survivalist - I can ask for coffee in six languagesKnowing how cri�cal this service offering is Friggin

existed.”

No woman ever shot a man… while he was getting her coffeeWhile in development, Tom's key focus was to keep the Friggin Coffee site as user-friendly and straigh�or-ward, as possible - from registra�on to hot, velvety, aroma�c beverage in-hand, all in three simple clicks.

“ offers a search facility which allows Friggin Coffeecustomers to refine their quest for cafés or coffee selling establishments, to fit their needs using criteria including: the availability of Wifi, a children’s play area,

Coffee is currently available in English, Afrikaans and Portuguese, with Zulu and Thai to be made available by December 2013.

All you need is love coffee (Friggin Coffee)Concludes Tom, “ is funky, fresh and Friggin CoffeeFREE. It is currently unlike any other site offering coffee and / or restaurant service. I invite all those who are passionate about caffeine to discover, share and appraise coffee - via our singular service offering.”

For further informa�on, please visit the website: www.friggincoffee.com. Alterna�vely, Tom can be contacted at: [email protected]

For further information, please visit the website: www.friggincoffee.com. Alternatively, Tom can be contacted at: [email protected]

FRIGGIN COFFEE

friggin Coffee

Like our pageand

Tired of instant?!

Looking for a PROPER cup of coffee?


TASTE

Oneiric Wine Estate perches on a ridge in the Elgin Valley. Views stretch down either side across vine-yards and orchards to where the Kogelberg moun-tains rise from close to the shores of the Cape Peninsula. This higher altitude is one of the special ingredients that make Elgin wines so spectacular, the ‘koffieklip’ (coffee stone) soil another. Then there is the enthusiasm and passion that both the winemakers and growers bestow on the grapes and their craft, evident in the wine.

The Pascall family embody this sentiment and ap-ply it to their piece of the valley, already blessed with it’s lofty position. Matt and Jen came to Cape Town looking for a change in lifestyle after many years in Johannesburg. They looked to the wine country of the Cape and chose this piece of the El-gin Valley, which spoke to them with it’s potential for the wine and life it could offer - Oneiric comes from the Greek word Oneiros, meaning ‘What dreams are made of’.

Jen Pascall is world-renowned for her button-mak-

ing - travelling internationally to various shows, managing the factory near Johannesburg, and keeping it all under control from a room on the wine estate. Matt works in the copper mining in-dustry and travels frequently between the farm and Zambia - tall, blue-eyed and as charming as his wife, he apparently once unknowingly proposed in (very bad) French to a lovely waitress - believing he was stating his preference for salmon, he delivered ‘I love you like a salmon, are you on the menu?’ which we’re told she took very well, considering. They’ve built a winery and tasting room to com-plement their wine offering and all three children have been blessed by inheriting their tall genes and creative energy.

Their elder daughter, Shan, given the opportunity eighteen months ago to get Oneiric out of the bar-rel barn and into the market, jumped in with both feet, if it involves Oneiric, it involves Shan - she is behind the licensing, operations, wine sales and marketing. Father and daughter developed the wine estate’s Copper-inspired metallic branding


TASTEand range of labels; playing on Matt’s involvement in copper mining. Each varietal plays on a differ-ent copper derivative - Chalcopyrite, Malachite, Azurite etc, making the labels not only different and striking, but adding a bit of the Pascall story to every bottle.

The emphasis on Oneiric Wines is to reflect their terroir and maintain the overall balance to make them great food wines. Vineyard aspects are cho-sen to best-suit the varietals - cooler slopes are planted with Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, warmer slopes with Reds, resulting in dark fruit and spice styles not typical for such a higher alti-tude climate.

Shan had the vision for a series of pop-up restau-rant events at the winery, and when she ran into award-winning chef and owner of Overture restau-rant, Bertus Basson, they discovered a shared pas-sion for bringing the wine and food experience to the estate. On a sultry Sunday afternoon in Novem-ber, they proved what a fantastic partnering it was!

A glass of Oneiric Sauvignon Blanc 2010 was deliv-ered into the eager hands of guests as they arrived, but only after having escaped the thorough sniff-down greeting from Bailey, the resident Golden Labrador. As the sun poked out from behind fading

storm clouds, the valley brightened, streaks of light playing across the vineyards and orchards below, aromas wafting from the tables of the cooking tent and BBQ set between the Barrel Room and vine-yards. Food prep was well underway as were the finishing touches to the canapé of Pulled Pork with a Whiskey Glaze, in a soft white mini-roll. My only negative comment on this course with juicy sa-voury flavours underpinned by a subtle sweetness is that I (stupidly) only had one, I woke up the next morning still fixated with my lack of good judge-ment at not going in for another!

The 30 guests seated themselves at the long-table in the barrel room, views stretching out the tall doors, voice rising with anticipation and a convivial atmosphere. Places were set with a square black-slate platter, large single roses, proliferate in the valley in pungent mauves, pinks, whites were set in a low glass lining the full length. This course was served on wooden platters that were old wine bar-rels pulled apart and cut to size, the wine stain a visible layer steeped into the wood. Grilled aspara-gus, parmesan shavings, the bite of vivid green Na-sturtium paste, tiny savoury fried capers - flavours combining and complementing the soft acidity of the Oneiric Sauvignon Blanc, light tropical fruit notes on the nose following through on the palate.


TASTEPlatters of locally-sourced Barbel (Catfish) in a But-termilk coating were also set down, creamy polenta and sweet corn, a grilled bread that even carb-free followers couldn't withstand. A dobble (more than a dab, less than a blob) of polenta, some corn and a bite of Catfish, smooth creamy flavours with the crunch of the Buttermilk coating through it. The accompanying Oneiric Chardonnay 2010 couldn’t have been better matched at complementing this dish - lightly wooded yet still fresh on the palate.

When the table had been re-set with white crock-ery, the wooden wine barrel platters re-appeared, piled high with strips of succulent glistening sirloin, root vegetables blanched then grilled, on a bed of barley and smokey hammock. The meat rub con-taining salt and sugar crystals ground down with pepper and cloves came through on the skin. The 2009 Oneiric Shiraz was my choice to accompany the meat, the Cabernet Sauvignon also on offer, but its lighter style of soft tannins not best suited to the meat, while the juicy red fruit and tannin of the Shiraz spoke to the wintery smokey flavours of the dish.

Next was dessert, with Apple sorbet the hero - cold, firm, just all-apple goodness fresh and sum-mery on the palate. Again, the accompanying Sau-vignon Blanc 2010 was the perfect foil with it’s apple notes complementing the sorbet. The raisin puree, vanilla and crumble a mere distraction re-ally. We finished with the Cousin Jack 2010 - a play on the mining heritage of Cornwall - the Oneiric red blend, enjoyed with the Ash Camembert and fig jam on the lightest crispiest of ciabatta crostini - and then we were done, in every way.

Oneiric Wines is new, inviting and exciting. The family welcome you to visit, taste their highly-re-garded wines and their scenic setting in the Elgin Valley. The wine-tasting room seconds as a gift-shop, showcasing some of the ceramics that Jen makes - buttons, hair clips earrings (even the clip-on kind!), cuff-links, small decorative tiles etc and also displays their son Blaze’s beautiful photogra-phy of the farm.

Visit www.oneiric.co.za

Follow @OneiricWines for up-to-date happenings and upcoming events

See Facebook.com/oneiricwines for all things relat-ing to the estate

Email: [email protected] or telephone: 071 481 9560 with any questions

If you would like to find out about Bertus Basson’s next pop-up restaurant, please email him at [email protected] and follow @bassonbertus for tweets by the great chef himself.

By Cathy Grimes Cathy is a Digital Marketing specialist focusing on social media coaching and strategy for the wine and travel industries - helping businesses grow through using social media and a strong web pres-ence. She is WSET certified - the Wine and Spirit Education Trust is recognised as the global leader in wine education. She is also a registered tour guide for the Western Cape and loves showing guests around the Winelands of the Cape, sharing her lo-cal and global wine knowledge while evangelising wine tourism destinations (and yes, she sometimes likes using big words!).

Email her at [email protected] with any social media or wine tour questions. Follow @no-madicwine for tweets on social media tips, wine country experiences and pictures of sunsets, lots of sunsets...


TASTE

Ingredients:

• 2kg smoked, uncooked gammon (serves 5 hun-gry people)• 1kg plums• 3tbsp redcurrant jelly (can also use cranberry, if you have lying around)• 3 cups water

Method:

Place gammon in a large pot, and fill with enough water to cover it. Bring to the boil, and cook for 30 minutes per 500g of meat - in this case, 2 hours.

While this is happily cooking away, you can get sorted on your sauce.

Halve and stone 5 plums (I work on 2 halves per person). Pour the water into a pot, and place the plums in, cut side up (this is quite important - the skins give the sauce the lovely colour, and they just go mushy if you put them in cut side down. I learned this the hard way) and add 1 tablespoon of the redcurrent jelly. Sim-mer until plums are tender. Remove the plums and set aside on a plate until ready to serve. Stone and chop the remaining plums into rough bits. Add to poaching liquid and boil until soft, and “mushable” with a fork. Blend until a smooth puree (can also sieve if you like, bit I liked the thickness not-sieving gave me). Add an-other tablespoon of jelly if it’s too sour (all depends on the ripeness of your plums).

When your gammon is cooked, remove most of the fat layer, and make diamond patterns in the remaining layer of fat. Spoon over the remaining tablespoon of jelly, and place under grill for a few min-utes until crispy and brown and delicious.

When ready to serve, cut into slices, arrange plum halves on the plate and drizzle over sauce. Serve remaining sauce in a bowl, for guests to drizzle over. I found this made quite a bit of sauce - it freezes well, and can be used on ice-cream, in me-ringues etc at a later date.

By The Gorgeous [email protected] Twitter: @GorgeousBlogwww.thegorgeousgourmet.co.za

Gamon with Plum Sauce


TASTE

I believe it is safe to say that summer is now here. I hope.

With that in mind, it is time to sit back and grab a cold one - a coffee that is.

Cold brew coffee refers to a brewing process by which coffee grounds are steeped in cold water, or water that is room temperature, for an extended period of time.

Cold brew coffee is distinctively different from ice coffee. Ice coffee is usually made by pouring es-presso, or coffee that is brewed hot in another way, over ice cubes. Ice coffee can be served over the ice, or it can be blended with milk, ice cream, and at times with condensed milk.

Cold brew coffee results in a very different flavour, which is naturally sweeter due its lower acidity. Brewing coffee in cold water results in a very differ-ent chemical profile from other brewing methods using hot water. Cold brew coffee, in my experi-ence, brings out more flavours in the coffee. This is particularly true for the more 'fruity' coffees. One such experience was Etheopian Yirgacheffe, with a resultant drinking experience that could be com-pared to drinking an ice-cold lemon ice tea.

By now I am hoping you are convinced, hoping that I will now tell you how to make this nectar.

There are a number of contraptions that are used for cold brew coffee. One of the most impressive is the oji cold brew system. Cold brew coffee is big in Japan, and the oji cold brew system hails from there. These are not easy to come by in South Africa. If you want one, you will probably need to raid a chemistry lab for the parts or construct it yourself.

On a side note, Postcard Cafe at Stark-Condè Wines Jonkershoek has an impressive oji brew system, which was constructed by the chemistry depart-ment at Stellenbosch University. If you are looking for a day trip this December I highly recommend a drive out to Postcard Cafe, and to the best of my knowledge they are one of the only, if not the only cafe in South Africa to serve cold brew coffee.

Anyway, the way the oji works is by packing the middle cylinder with coarsely ground coffee. You then fill the top thingy with cold water, open the little tap, and the cold water drips through the grounds into the bottom flask, with the final result being achieved after about 12 hours.

One of the most important things to note is that cold brew coffee takes many many hours to make.If you do not have an oji system, there is another way, and it is such:

TASTE

My name is Carl Anthony Badenhorst and I am a freelance writer specialising in topics pertaining to coffee, culture, creative industries, education, learning,

and anything I find interesting.

You can read some of my work at www.blueberrynotes.co.zaEmail me at [email protected] to discuss your writing needs.

Ingredients:500g of coarsely ground coffee8 cups of cold waterIt is a good idea to brew in large quantities due to the extended brewing time, and it does keep for a few days.

Instructions:Coarsely grind the coffee and place it in a large sealable container, or jug. Pour the cold water over the grounds, seal the container, and refrig-erate for 12 - 14 hours. 12 - 14 hours later, filter the coffee through a cloth or filter paper.The end product is a fairly high-octane bio fuel so you can serve it by diluting it with some wa-ter, pouring it over ice, or blend with milk.

As easy as that.

Cold brew coffee is a stellar idea for those long, lazy summer meals, and makes for the perfect after dinner drink. Go ahead, you know you want to, and wow your guests at Christmas lunch.

By Carl Anthony Badenhorst


TASTEFour months ago, Lisa Huang, founder of Food And Chatter, and Zama Memela, Creative Director of EasyEating, met over a cup of coffee at WDC2014 Open Design inside the City Hall. What was sup-posed to be a brief catch up session between friends spiralled into a conversation about food creativity and thus the EasyEating Taste Experience was born.

Seated at long-tables to enjoy a 10-course lunch, surrounded by arts, photography, pottery, living plants and coffee exhibitions, the EasyEating TASTE Experience was held on the 23rd November 2013 at Joule City.

The event was a huge success, as you can see by the mouth watering photos below:

EasyEating TASTE Experience



TASTE

The best wine gift this Christmas...

This is by far my favourite time of year. Everyone is rushing to get the last projects completed at work before going on leave, the shops are filled with jo-vial shoppers and it’s the one time each year where everyone seems to be on the same page – “It’s Christmas time!”

Part of enjoying the gatherings over the Christmas period is choosing something special to give to the ones we love, whether they be friends, family or

work colleagues who make the daily grind that much easier.

The only tough part about selecting a gift is some-times what to actually choose. With wine it’s either easy or hard … either you know what the recipi-ent enjoys sipping, or you get stuck in a loop of too many choices without any starting point.

Enter the Platter’s Wine Guide!


TASTE

This is my directory to everything wine. From se-lecting a ‘3-and-a-half-star’ Sauvignon Blanc for Saturday’s pool party with friends who are happy with “any white wine, as long as it’s not wooded”, to getting an idea of the quality of a specific red a friend mentioned he was looking for last week-end. The Platter’s Wine Guide includes so much resourceful information about the wines we sip every day that you could almost relate to it as The Wine Bible …

As a gift for any wine lover though, the Platter’s Wine Guide is perfect. Whether your friend is a novice weekend sipper, owns a cellar including stock valued at more than the house itself, or just enjoys wine and you know would appreciate some-thing which will add value to his/her wine experi-ence as a whole, this little book is the answer to many questions. Wine ratings (including brandy from this 2014 edition), accommodation, winery info and lots more … a gift of many purposes!It’s the all-in-one wine gift, and is available from

WineWeb (www.WineWeb.co.za) at a festive price of Only R159.00 each.

Go on … spoil yourself, or your Dad, with one of the NEW 2014 Platter’s Wine Guides and we’ll deliver it to your home in time for Christmas*.

And with that, I bid you all a festive Farewell from the 2013 side of the wine industry. It’s a great time of year to pop a few bottles of your favourite wines while everyone is around to enjoy them with you, so indulge … responsibly!

*For deliveries before Christmas orders please need to be placed on or before Tuesday, 10 Decem-ber 2013.

By Richard Crannawww.wineweb.co.za

CREATE

What you will need:• 1 cup bicarbonate of soda

• ½ cup cornflour

• ¾ cup water

• Saucepan

• Bowl

• Spoon

• Cling wrap

• Rolling pin

• Cookie cutters (star shape, or any other shape you fancy)

• Chopping board and baking paper (optional)

• Toothpicks (optional)

Recipe adapted from www.busybeekidscrafts.com

DIY Christmas

Stars


CREATE

Method:1. Mix all three ingredients in the saucepan over a medium heat. Stir constantly until the mixture is too thick to stir with a spoon.

2. Cool for a few minutes, until the dough is cool enough to touch.

3. Transfer the dough to a bowl, and knead for 5 minutes until smooth.

4. Roll out the dough on a smooth surface (I used a chopping board covered in baking paper).

5. Use the cookie cutters to press out the desired shapes. Use a toothpick to make small holes for threading string if necessary.

6. Keep dough wrapped in plastic when you're not working with it.

7. Leave the shapes to dry at room temperature. Depending on the thickness of the dough, this will take 1-2 days.

Ideas for your dough shapes:• Use stamps or embossers to make impressions in the dough, these can then be used as gift tags.• Alternatively, you can paint the shapes or write names of them once the dough is dry.• String the shapes together on some twine to make a pretty garland to hang over your door, or on the Christmas tree.

By Danielle Smithwww.thingsdeeloves.com


CREATEIntroducing, The WED CamEngaged Durban couple, Don and Melissa have launched what industry experts say is one of the most exciting concepts they have come across. The Wed Cam is a wedding service offering brides the fantastic opportunity to broadcast their wed-ding live online, to friends and family across the world. The concept came one night while Don and Melissa where busy planning their wedding and re-alized that the industry lacked this sort of service. With almost every engaged couple having family all over the world, there had to be some way of shar-ing this special day with loved ones…The Wed Cam was born. ‘Months of planning and preparation went into this project, but we are ecstatic with the response so far’ said Don Wedding industry regulars are blown away by the idea and have been nothing but supportive and welcoming of this new service. ‘The first day we launched, I had wedding providers calling me to find out more and congratulate us on such a fantastic opportunity for brides and grooms, we have even had people in the UK contacting us to

find out more and compliment us on such a fantas-tic idea’ Don added. The Wed Cam broadcasts your wedding ceremony live through their website. The page is password protected and only family and friends invited to the online viewing are given the password. The couple get a personalized broadcast page that ties into their wedding theme. ‘We want people watching to feel like they are ac-tually there’ said MelissaVideo streaming means that, no matter where they are in the world, guests can view your wedding over the Internet as it proceeds.

This is complete with audio and visual, so that they do not miss out on a single moment.

Get 10% off your booking fee with The Wed Cam.All interested brides to email [email protected] with the subject linke ‘Flat White’. Exclusive to Flat White readers.

www.thewedcam.co.za, www.facebook.com/thewedcam



CREATEIt was luck that had me stumble across ladies talking about The Delish Box and I decided to find out what it was all about. The Delish Box was founded by the lovely Lau-ren, who runs a blog called Lip-

glossed Ninja (a name which automatically made me like her). On this blog she started this awesome project to get ladies to send gifts to each other to the value of R200 (or R100 for the Mini Delish Box). Once you tell her you are interested she will pair you up with someone within South Africa and you will be asked to fill out a questionanaire about yourself (your likes, dislikes, etc). When you know who you are paired with you get the chance to see their answers to the same questions, as well as

given their twitter handle so that you can do a little bit of cyber stalking. You then shop for that person based on what you have learnt about them.

It’s such a fun way of not only getting to know someone new, but also sending out some fun gifts based on the image they have portrayed online. What’s even better is getting a box back yourself, and seeing how well that person figured you out.

I decided to take part in the Mini Delish Box this month and I was paired with a lady named Laura. After looking through her answers, and finding out we actually had a lot in common, I eagerly went out and did some shopping for her. I had a lot of fun with it and I couldn’t wait to post it off. I just re-cently got a message from her saying that my box is on its way.. *hops downstairs to check mailbox*

If you want to get involved then visit http://www.lipglossedninja.co.za/

The Delish Box



DISCOVER

THE SPORTS SCIENCE INSTITUTE OF SOUTH AFRICA“Never throw in the towel.

Use it to wipe off the sweat. Then keep on going”I was lucky enough to spend the day at The Sports Science Institute of South Africa (SSISA) today. This amazing gym has been kind enough to offer our readers a free month in our competitions page each month, and today I decided to pop in and see what this gym is really all about.

I’ve been to many gyms in my life, but I’ve never really found one that suited me. So although I was looking forward to going today I was certainly not excited about it. In fact, I went there with a bit of trepidation, because trying out a new gym can sometimes be a bit daunting.

I can honestly say that after a two hour session I am completely hooked on this gym. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what it is but I walked out and said to my cousin (and gym partner for the day), ‘I felt good in that gym’. Everyone was very friendly but at the same time they also left you to do your own thing and I never felt like I didn’t belong, which can so often be the case with certain gyms. No dirty looks from other members either. In fact, everyone just concentrated on themselves and left you to do the same. I liked that.

There is something for everyone - from regular fitness enthusiasts to pro athletes. Their website says it best: SSISA is no “regular” Cape Town gym! - In fact whether you are a national sporting hero, a weekend warrior or a couch potato – our gym is a community of members with many different goals- but all keen to support you as you develop healthy

habits you won’t want to shake.

The gym is open 7 days a week, and boasts a 25m swimming pool and 140m indoor running track. Not only that, but with glass windows all around, you can work out and enjoy a view of Cape Town’s beautiful mountains.

I have now signed up for the month. I also went for a full assessment where one of the instructors (eye candy for the girls) measured my height, weight, body fat percentage, cholesterol, blood pressure, flexibility and fitness. From there he drew up an exercise plan for me and pointed out what I need-ed to work on. It was an interesting experience and it’s much better going to the gym with a purpose rather than working out blindly.

You know me, I love my coffee, food and wine far too much not to exercise. Life is all about finding a balance, and I think I found the place to do so!

Come on, join me and let’s get fit for summer.

Details:[email protected] - 659 5600

Or pop in and have a look for yourself: Boundary Road, Newlands.

By Christine Bernard



DISCOVER

For the past few years I have been running. From a very unfit and chubby child it was great to finally feel the joy that exercise can bring. I did the Two Oceans for the first time this year, and I’m not sure if it was the hills, or the fact that I hadn’t trained enough but afterwards I suffered from pains in my knee. So much so that I couldn’t run for a few months. I tried everything from resting to icing but nothing seemed to help. I was tired of doing noth-ing so when I found out that there was a yoga class nearby I immediately decided to give them a go.

The place was Yo Yoga.

That was over four months ago and I am hooked.

Not only do I now have a very strong love for yoga but my knee is completely heeled and I am running again. In fact, since joining yoga my knee was fixed within the first month. This is honestly the power of yoga.

Yo Yoga offers only hot yoga, where the room is heated. It’s quite overwhelming at first, and it takes getting used to but the feeling at the end of the class, when your body starts to cool down, is close to godly.

I love absolutely everything about this place, from the beautiful serene surroundings to the passion-ate and friendly instructors.

KEEP CALM and

DO YOGA

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yo yoga offers bikram and vinyasa flow yoga. Taken from their website here is an explanation on the different types:

BIKRAM

Bikram is the original hot yoga! It was designed by colour-ful yoga Guru Bikram Choudhury. Essentially an unchang-ing sequence of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises in a 90-minute class, bikram is traditionally practiced in a room heated to up to 40°c and was designed as a rejuve-nating exercise to strengthen the entire body from head to toe.

The organs, glands and nerves are stimulated and the heat allows for the release of toxins through sweating. The muscles, ligaments and joints are able to stretch much deeper than normal, without the risk of injury.

YO BIKRAM

Yo bikram is the shorter 60-minute version of the class and the most popular class. It is essentially the same as the bikram class, but some of the postures aren’t repeated and the transitions are slightly quicker. Yo bikram is per-fect for beginners or those who are more time-pressed.

FLOW

Flow yoga is dynamic and playful, practiced in 35°c and is constantly evolving and developing. The flow practice is primarily identified by breath-synchronized movement. Flow yoga is also practiced in a hot room!

Strongly influenced by ashtanga and vinyasa yoga, the practice of flow yoga has become one of the most popular practices in the west and is an intense, full body workout.

Each flow class will be slightly different to the next, de-pending on who is instructing, what music is played and what the instructor offers on the day!

Visit www.yoyoga.co.za to find out more

By Christine Bernard


DISCOVER

I was married in the tiny Chapel at Matjiesfontein, and even though that was a significant moment in my personal history, this place has a history that began many years prior to that special day. At a time when railways lines were reaching from Cape Town to Kimberly and Cecil John Rhodes’ vision of a ‘road to the North’, from Cape to Cairo, was very much alive. He was chasing a dream. As was the young Scottish immigrant James Logan, who in 1884 bought a piece of land referred to as ‘Matjies-fontein’.

In these early railway days, there were no dining cars to service the passenger’s need for coffee and sustenance on their long journey through the Karoo. Instead The Cape Government Railways awarded catering contracts to halts along the way. Logan had received a contract for Touws River and he saw Matjiesfontein, with its plentiful supply of fresh water, as the next opportunity. He estab-lished an oasis for the commuter. Trees were plant-ed, a garden established, Tweeside Lodge and the Hotel built.

Matjies soon catapulted from its rural serenity to a top tourist resort of the time. Here for the first time in the remote Karoo, Logan would cater for the needs of rail travellers as well as supply fodder for their horses.

Now fondly referred to as the The Grand Duch-ess of the Karoo, the Lord Milner Hotel received significant upgrades when hotelier David Rawdon purchased the Matjiesfontein Village in 1970 and the entire village proclaimed a National Heritage site in 1975.

The Lord Milner Hotel with its 'brookie lace' ironwork and three turrets, which were used as lookout posts by the English during the Anglo Boer War.

A view from the turret towards the village, accommo-dation and Karoo landscape.

The Railway line to Cape Town, both the Blue Train and Rovos Rail stop here on their route between Cape Town and Pretoria.

Why you should turn off the N1 and take notice of Matiesfontein.


DISCOVER

At a glance Matjiesfontein may appear a dusty rail-way station, but it stands testament to a rich his-tory, exudes warm charm and offers a myriad of things to see and explore. Among them a climb to Katy’s Card Room and the three turrets of the Ho-tel, exploring Tweedside Lodge and lingering in the haunted formal lounges after dark.

The Transport Museum with its private collection of vintage cars will impress, and a tour of the town in the London Bus will take no more than ten min-utes. There’s also the Mary Rawdon Museum un-der the station where I discover something new with each visit. Among the items an eclectic col-lection of Victoriana, penny-farthing bicycles, war memorabilia and the terrifying dentist’s chair. En-trance to the Museum is R5.

Yet mostly I recommend walks in the surround-ing veldt where some 10 000 troops were camped around the Village during the Anglo-Boer war. There are still remnants such as rusty bully beef and paraffin tins, uniform buttons and buckles to be found around the koppie. While in search of these I find myself escaping to a place where I can almost hear their banter.

A coffee shop offers light meals and drinks are of-fered in the Laird’s Arms Pub. Resident entertainer John will even play the honkey-tonk piano Victo-rian Music Hall style.

For a further escape into Matjiesfontein I recom-mended a hike to the tree where Olive Schreiner wrote her novel The Story of An African Farm, pub-lished in 1883. A contemplative moment in the tiny Chapel where I was wed and a swim in the crystal clear pool that is always freezing. Also a look at the stars!

Walking the Karoo.

Follow the simple guidelines.

Like love locks on Euro-pean bridges, here the promise of love is carved into cacti in the garden.

Seek out the beauty. Those who say there is no life in the desert, haven’t opened up their eyes.

DISCOVER


Growing up in the Free State and holidaying in the Cape, I had driven past the turn to Matjiesfontein many times before a breakdown had me spend three nights here. Forced to stop and listen to the sounds of the Karoo, with nowhere else to go, I ab-sorbed myself into this curious place and with each new discovery let it creep further into my heart.

Now I want to shout it from city rooftops, send tel-epathic messages to weary drivers, stand on the N1 halting traffic. Come and meet this place of South Africa and learn why Matjiesfontein is well worth a turn off the N1.

Official Matjiesfontein site – www.matiesfontein.com

By Dawn Jorgensen

Feelance travel writer, beauty seeker and earth advocate. Find her at The Incidental Tourist (www.theincidentaltourist.co.za) or follow her on Twitter @dawnjorgensen.

DISCOV�


DISCOV�

Nestled amongst the oaks, this charm-ing heritage house that was once a pot-tery, is now a small personalized bed and breakfast. Greyton is well known for its idyllic calm and our lodgings of-fer easy access to the gentle pace of this historic town.

Also Ideal for hikers and mountain bik-ers with the choice of both rooms and self catering cottages.

So spend a few days with us and enjoy all that the Overberg has to offer!

16 Main Road, Greyton, 7233076 441 [email protected]


DISCOVER

Dear Bibliophiles

I was chatting with my sister the other day (as one does). She was sitting on the other side of the world wearing a fluffy jersey like a hug. I was sit-ting, sweating with the effort of not moving in the heavy humidity of Durban. My sister and I are not very alike in many ways. She, the elder, is wiser, more logical, more adventurous. And she can do maths in her head! I, the younger, am silly and per-plexed, and like to sit on my couch with my dogs dreaming up ridiculous stories that I will never write down. One very, very important thing that we have in common, however, is our love of read-ing. Sometimes our differing tastes in fiction con-verge and we find books that we both love. This month, I have decided to review the book that I recommended to her during that conversation. It is not a new book, but it is one that will, I think, stand the test of time. The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown is not flashy – not in the storyline, not in the

characters, and not in the way that it is written. If it had been flashy the reader would not be able to sink into it like a warm bath.

The Weird Sisters is, unsurprisingly, a story about sisters, Rosalind (Rose), Bianca (Bean) and Cordelia (Cordy). The obvious reference in the names of the characters is to Shakespeare. It is the one of the obvious, but certainly not the only reference to the works of the Bard. The title of the book itself is a reference to the three witches in Macbeth - and there is a strange kind of energy surrounding the sisters when they are together. The sisters were named by their father, an esteemed Shakespeare scholar and university professor. Since childhood each of the girls has been deliciously different, of-ten subtly similar to aspects of the characters for whom they are named. When their mother is di-agnosed with cancer and the best of a bad set of options available to each them is to return, Rose, the stoic, responsible eldest sister; Bean the viva-

The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown


DISCOVER

cious, determined middle sister; and Cordy the stubborn, whimsical younger sister, all find them-selves together once more in the house in which they grew up, in a small (fictional) university town. Through the very different life paths of each char-acter, through their weaknesses and the discovery of their strengths, Brown explores how forgivably flawed we all are. Through the sisters’ relationships with each other, with their parents, and with the men in their lives, Brown engages with the lies we all tell ourselves and choose to believe; and the truth of the strength in the bonds of family. There is a form of redemption for each of the sisters, but for me, this does not detract from the some-times raw honesty of the book. The reader cringes as they are forced to experience with each of the sisters the unrelenting need for complete honesty with themselves. A particular joy of the book is that the sisters are all readers, and I derived the same pleasure from reading about people who

love books as much as I do, as I do from speaking to people who love books. One of my favourite lines from the book is “Instead, we’d do what we always did, the only thing we’d ever been dependably stel-lar at: we’d read.”

The Weird Sisters is a solid book – well written and satisfying with some deeply lovely turns of phrase that I would love to wear on my skin. It is one of those books that I have read over and over again, and I will read it over and over again. I know that I go on a bit about the re-read factor of a book, but Oscar Wilde said (apparently) that “[i]f one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.” And if the estimable Mr Wilde said it, then it must be true.

By Lisa Wiebesiek-Pienaar


DIRECTORY

Want to advertise on our directory page? ONLY R150 per month, or R120 per month for a three month contract

Email [email protected]

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The Gorgeous [email protected] Twitter: @GorgeousBlogwww.thegorgeousgourmet.co.za

Simply Awesome021 683 5216082 786 [email protected]

Leauge of Beers021 824 [email protected]

Madison BoutiqueShop 17, Constantia Courtyard, Constantia Main Road, 7806 Cape Town, 021 794 [email protected]

Lovileewww.lovilee.co.zaA daily blog with ideas & inspiration that covers Weddings, Home Décor & [email protected]

U & Me Graphics and Photographygraphics.uandme@gmail.comwww.uandmegraphics.weebly.com 16 Main Road, Greyton, 7233, 076 441 5753

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Brookside OutsourceFranchise Business Opportunities with Brookside OutsourceWe are looking for Experts in their Field, who would like to join a growing brand, of Business Growing Business. Mail your c.v. to [email protected]


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WIN WIN WIN*All competitions MUST be entered by 28 December 2013

Arrive in Style! UBER Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg are giving a free ride of up to R150 to 1000 people! To claim this please email me for details. Available only to the first 1000 people.

The first 2 people to enter will also receive an additional R200 in uber credit on top of the set R150. So hurry up and enter! Your ride awaits!

Email [email protected], Subject: uber

www.uber.com

1

2

Win a 1 week unlimited membership at Yo Yoga

Send your details to [email protected], Subject: Yo Yoga

Cavendish Close, Warwick Street, Claremont

021 - 671 0888 | www.yoyoga.co.za


WIN WIN WIN3

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Win a 1 x Value Red & White Mixed Case from Wine Web – This includes 6 bottles, 3 red and 3 white and includes delivery.

Email [email protected], Subject: Wine

www.wineweb.co.za

Win ‘Lessons from the Boot of a Car’ by Reg Lascaris, from Penguin Books

About the bookReg Lascaris literally started out from the boot of an old car. The road leading from the one point to the other has been long, uneven and often difficult, but in one respect it never failed: there was always a lesson to be learnt. Lascaris, together with his partner John Hunt, sparked not only some of the most iconic ad campaigns in the world, but the transformation of the South African advertising industry into a twenty-first century powerhouse.This is where the famous Nando’s campaign was born; these were the men the ANC turned to for their first election campaign. They were the first to inject human emotion into financial services for South Africa’s best loved bank, Standard Bank… And who can forget the BMW mouse?Lessons from the Boot of a Car traces an extraordinary journey by an extraordinarily successful entre-preneur, reciting at each point the lessons learnt – career and business lessons as much as they are lessons for life.

Email [email protected], Subject: Penguin Books

www.penguinbooks.co.za


Win a 1 month membership to the Sports Science Insitute of South Africa

Including a comprehensive fitness assessment and personalised training programme. Prize value R1492.

Email [email protected], Subject: SSISA

WIN WIN WIN5

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friggin Coffee

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Tired of instant?!

Looking for a PROPER cup of coffee?

Click on the link to be directed straight to the page!

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THE END

Do you want to advertise with us?Email Christine on

[email protected]

Go on.. all the cool kids are doing it.

Documents

Issue 8 December 2013